Sisters Uncut’s East London Occupation

“For two weeks now, activists from feminist direct action group Sisters Uncut have been occupying an empty council home in Hackney, East London, to highlight the lack of support for survivors of domestic violence…

‘For us, community and community organising is totally key to our work,’ continues Petra. ‘We want to build more of a mass movement. It doesn’t have to look like what we are used to it looking like either.’

Despite most of them having full time jobs, these women have given up their emotional and physical labour to educate, support and do the frontline work that our Government and councils should be doing themselves.

They have been in occupation since Saturday 9 July 2016, and do not plan to leave until their demands are met. They have four key demands; firstly, they want to fill all of the 1047 empty council houses. Secondly, that hostels should not be used for survivors of domestic violence. Thirdly, another house should not be lost to regeneration as currently 915 are due to lost. And, lastly, the council should refuse to implement the Housing Act.”